Device and method for combining an athletic shoe and conventional ankle brace to limit active ankle inversion

ABSTRACT

A device and method is provided wherein a non-extendable strap is attached to the interior of an athletic, or other type of shoe, commencing on the instep side, extending below the user&#39;s foot, and ankle, which has been previously fitted with a commercial brace or wrap or taped, which is inserted within the shoe, and the strap is attached within the shoe again on the outstep upper side. The strap element is drawn tight about the user&#39;s ankle when the shoe is laced, strapped, or otherwise secured about the user&#39;s foot. The strap element extends above the user&#39;s ankle, and is pulled taut and affixed to the brace, or wrap, or separately taped, at a position on the outside of the user&#39;s lower leg. The device and method of attachment allows the shoe and brace or wrap to act together, as an integrated system, to limit active ankle inversion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ankle injuries, particularly those to supporting ligaments, have beenfound to be some of the most substantial lost time injuries incompetitive sports. At least one study has found that such ankleinjuries are the number one lost time injury in competitive sports. Ithas been estimated that over 83% of ankle sprains among British soccerplayers required more than one months loss of competition. Other studieshave shown, among basketball players, that more than 90% have historiesof ankle sprains with 76% suffering recurrent sprains. A 2000 study by,Richard, Schulties & Saret, found that 20% to 50% of injuries in sportsinvolving running and jumping are ankle injuries. Ankle injuries canalso occur in non-competitive exercise, in the home, and in the workplace, on a day to day basis.

Previous attempts to prevent or minimize ankle injuries have includedthe utilization of high top and tightly laced athletic, or other typesof shoes, as well as taping, and the utilization of commerciallyavailable ankle brace devices.

Examples of external straps include U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,656, to Cooper,for an Ankle. Brace capable of being worn with conventional footwear;U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,647, to Hely, for a Self-Tightening Ankle Brace;U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,617, to McCormick et al, for a Non-Bulky Ankle Bracefor use with Footwear; U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,713, to Hayashi, for aMoldable Custom Fitted Ankle Brace; U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,010, to Bodmer,for a Heal and Ankle Appliance; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,404, to Kallassy,for a Universal Ankle Support; U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,762, to Hess et al,for an Ankle Joint Orthosis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,691, to Cueman et al,for an Ankle Brace with Densified Batting, including a means forsecuring the brace to the ankle, such as Velcro® closures; as well asU.S. Pat. No. 4,875,476, to Garcia, for an Ankle Support Bandage forPrevention of Ankle Injury.

Additionally, the prior art discloses attempts by inventors to providefootwear with strap or brace elements incorporated within an athleticshoe itself, to prevent ankle injury. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,771,608, to Peterson, for a Shoe with Ankle Strap Protector; U.S. Pat.No. 5,226,875, to Johnson, for an invention captioned Athletic Footwearwith Integral Ankle Support, which includes a pair of resilient bracesattached to the sole interlining and calf support collar of an athleticshoe; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,630, to Robinson, for an Athletic. Shoewith Inversion. Resisting Device, including a light engaging strapdisposed only on the lateral side of the shoe upper.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,156, to Jimenez Ramos, for a device to avoid twistsin ankles, provides an independent removable device, attached directlyto the leg above the ankle and to the external side of footwear.

One of the significant factors regarding athletic injuries and athleticshoes, involves the tendency, particularly for “inversion” ankleinjuries, of the ankle and foot to turn or move within the shoe and toallow the shoes sole to act as a fulcrum, increasing the inversionpressure on the ankle, leading to serious injury. This “fulcrum”function may also exist in non-athletic situations, and in circumstanceswhere the ankle must be restrained post-injury for therapeutic purposes,whether or not the injury originated athletically. Separate ankle wrapsdo not address this problem, when the foot and ankle of the user isstill allowed to move within the footgear. Likewise, ankle wrappingdevices, when the wrapped and/or restrained ankle is inserted intofootgear, even with separate tightening devices for the footgear, do notprevent this inversion injury causing movement. Strapping devicesaffixed only to the exterior or interior of a user's shoe do nor addressthe movement of the foot within the footwear, nor do they alleviatepotential of a shoe upper to stretch, or otherwise allow movement.Further, known shoe devices, without a separate ankle wrap, or tape,attached thereto, fail to provide the degree of support for the jointsand ligaments of the ankle during movement, even if the particular shoemay be somewhat stabilized by use of strapping devices contained withinit.

Thus, a need exists for a device, and method of affixation thereof, foruse in athletic competition, day to day non-athletic use, andtherapeutic use, which will provide the support of a direct taping orbrace system for the ankle, as well as incorporate the same, byattachment, to shoes of all types, including, but not limited to, anathletic shoe, to provide an integrated brace and shoe system, whichwill inhibit inverted movement of the ankle within the shoe, and preventthe shoe itself from acting as a fulcrum for such invertive stress onthe ankle.

Further, a need exists, for a device and method which would allow thebenefits of the current invention in combination with any manufacturedathletic shoe or other types of shoe and any otherwise availablecommercial brace or ankle wrap.

The current invention addresses a significant need in the manner setforth in the brief Summary, Drawings and Detailed Description of theInvention and method which follow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the provision of a device andmethod to be utilized with a shoe, separately, or together with an anklebrace device, to prevent inversion stress on a user's ankle. Theinvention is intended to, and does have, both preventative andtherapeutic value. It may be utilized with an athletic shoe to preventinjuries caused by excessive inversion of a user's ankle in competition,or in training, and it may be used with any type of shoe for therapeuticpurposes, when an injury exists, or a user, for various medical or otherhealth reasons, has a condition which will be aggravated by inversion ofthe ankle.

Most specifically, the present invention is directed to the provision ofa strapping device which may be permanently, or removably, affixedwithin a shoe, and, then attached, either separately to a user's upperleg, above the ankle, on the lateral side of the leg and ankle; or atsuch point, to an ankle brace already affixed about the user's ankle andleg.

In its simplest embodiment, the invention is a unitary, non extendable,flat strap. The attachment is to the shoe's interior upper and the strapdevice then extends upward, on the lateral side of the foot and anklealong the lateral side of the user's leg. The strap is then drawn tautand attached in taut position to the user's leg by adhesive tape orother strap or wrapping device. If the device is being utilized inconjunction, with an ankle brace, the attachment may be to the anklebrace itself in such taut fashion.

In a further feature of the invention, the strap device is firstattached within the shoe's upper at a point on the interior or medialside of the foot, at or below the ankle joint. The strap then extendsnext to the shoes upper to the sole of the shoe, across the sole of theshoe, beneath the user's foot, and is again attached to the wall of theupper, as the strap extends upward, on the lateral, or outstep, side ofthe shoe's upper.

When the shoe is tightly'enclosed around the user's foot, by means ofthe standard enclosing features of the shoe, which may be strap andbuckle, laces, or any other manner in which shoes are normally secured,the strap element is adjacent to, and conforms to, the dimensions of theuser's foot, beneath the ankle, between the medial and lateral sides.

In practice, the strap may be attached at the desired number ofpositions on the interior of the shoe's upper by being permanently sewn,by snaps, by Velcro® attachment, glue, or other like or similarfastening means.

A further significant feature of the invention is that it isparticularly useful in conjunction with a device which separately limitsmovement of the ankle. Such device could include standard taping of theankle with adhesive tape, or utilization of bracing devices, such ascommercially available brace devices, which lace, strap or are otherwisebound around the user's ankle.

To the extent that the brace device is of a type which extends above theuser's ankle around the lower leg, and, correspondingly, above the upperedge of the shoe upper element, the extending end of the strap device isthen attached, by tape, snaps, straps, elastic band or strap, or otherlike or similar means, to the brace device itself.

In a further feature of the invention, it is possible to utilize thecombination of a shoe, ankle brace device, and the strap device, whereinthe ankle is enclosed both by the shoe and the brace device, and thestrap device is attached by one or, more of the stated means, at a pointabove the top of the ankle brace device. It is a further feature of theinvention that the device, when attached to the shoe, for optimalprevention of ankle inversion, the strap is drawn taut, upwardly fromthe user's foot, and attached, in such taut position, to either theankle brace device or the user's leg. The degree of tautness may bevaried depending upon the degree to which inversion, is desired to beprevented.

In a further feature of the invention, the strap element, for comfortpurposes, may run from the medial side of the shoe's upper to thelateral side of the shoe's upper, beneath an insole inserted between thebase of the user's foot and the primary sole of the shoe.

It is a further feature of the invention, that the strap element, whichis the primary feature of the invention, used in conjunction with ashoe, either standard or athletic, and, with or without a separatebrace, may be utilized as a separate addition, or “kit,” to add toexisting footwear. As such, the strap may be removably attached to theinterior walls of the shoe's upper by removable methods, including, butnot limited to, hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro®, such that onestrap element could be separately utilized with more than one shoe.

It is an important feature of the invention that the strap element, withthe desired method of attachment, may be utilized as a system, as amethod for preventing ankle inversion, where the strap element, asdescribed, is utilized together with a standard shoe. An ankle bracedevice, or ankle tape application, is placed around the user's ankle andlower leg immediately above it; the device is attached, as stated,within the shoe. The user's foot corresponding to the particular shoe isinserted within the shoe, and the laces, or straps which are used totightly enclose the shoe around the foot, are secured. The upwardlyextending portion of the strap is then drawn taut, while everting theankle as desired, and attached to the brace, or the user's lower leg,above the shoe upper. When so placed, as previously stated, upwardpressure is exerted on the strap so that the strap, when affixed, istaut. The invention is more fully described and understood by referenceto the drawings and detailed description which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a shoe; with the strap deviceof the present invention, showing the placement and manner ofaffixation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the strap of the present invention,together with hook and loop fasteners, from the side thereof whichcontacts the interior of the upper of the shoe.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the strap device of the presentinvention, and hook and loop fasteners, from the side opposite thatwhich contacts the interior of the shoe upper.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a shoe, showing, a rear view of a user'sright foot and ankle within the shoe, with the strap device of thecurrent invention affixed by hook and loop fasteners to the interior ofthe shoe upper, an ankle brace device around the ankle of the user, withthe strap running beneath a removable insole of the shoe.

FIG. 5 shows substantially the view of FIG. 4, but additionallydemonstrating the method of pulling the strap device taut and affixingthe same in taut position at a position on the leg of the user above theshoe.

FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of a shoe showing a rear view of a user's rightfoot and ankle within the shoe, with the strap device held in positionby hook and loop fasteners, and affixed to an ankle brace device at apoint above the shoe and the user's ankle.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from the lateral or outstep side of auser's right foot, with the device in place, affixed within a shoe upperand affixed above the user's ankle to the lateral or outstep side of theusers leg, with tied laces enclosing the shoe, upper about the user'sfoot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention Device and Method for Combining an Athletic Shoe AndConventional Ankle Brace to Limit Active Ankle Inversion is utilized inconjunction with a shoe 10 and an ankle brace or wrap 20. Broadlyconsidered, the device comprises a unitary, non-extendable strap element30. Said strap 30 is generally flat, and belt-like, and conformable, toa person's foot 40 and corresponding leg 41. Said strap element 30 has afirst end 31 and a second end 32. It has a defined length A which is thelineal distance between first end 31 and second end 32. Strap element 30is used with shoe 10 having an upper portion 11, said upper 11 having aninterior or inner surface 12, and a sole 13, with upper 11 extendingupwardly from sole 13 Said shoe 10 may also include an insole 14,substantially parallel to and substantially proximate and contacting theupper surface 15 of said sole 13. The upper of shoe 10 is enclosedaround the foot 40 of a user by laces 18 as shown in FIG. 7. Otheravailable means of enclosing the shoe 10 about foot 40 include strapsand buckles, or Velcro® fasteners or other like or similar means withoutbeing in limitation of the invention.

The interior surface 12 of the upper 11 further has an instep or medialside 16 and an outstep or lateral side 17.

The ankle brace or wrap 20 may be removably secured around the user'sfoot 40 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Said brace 20 may be any typecommercially available, or comprised of tape, or elastic wrap, or anyfoot and ankle enclosure or wrap which limits movement of the anklejoint. In practice, the brace may be held in place by straps, laces,tape, elastic wrap or any similar or equivalent means.

In a featured embodiment of the invention, strap element 30 is attachedto the medial side 16 of upper 11 at a first point B on interior,surface 12, above the upper surface 15 of sole 13. If an insole 14 isutilized, point B will normally be above said insole 14. Strap 30 thenis extended downward proximate medial side 16 until it meets uppersurface 15, then extended across upper surface 15 to lateral side 17,then upward proximate, to lateral side 17 so that second end 32 extendssubstantially above upper 11 and the ankle joint of the user. In thisembodiment, strap 30 is also attached to the lateral side 17 of upper 11at second point C on the interior surface 12 above the upper surface ofsole 13. If an insole 14 is utilized, point C will normally be aboveinsole 14. Strap 30 extends upwardly along the outstep or medial side 16substantially on a line which bisects the ankle joint and generallyvertical dimension of the user's leg 41 corresponding to the foot 40inserted within shoe 10. Strap 30 is attached to the medical side 16 andlateral side 17 of interior surface 12 of upper 11 at points B and C,respectively, by corresponding hook and loop fastener elements BB and CCin the featured embodiment. In practice, strap 30 may also be attachedat points B and C by being sewn, glued, snapped or riveted, or by likeor similar methods. Said hook and loop fasteners BB and CC may beVelcro®. Strap 30, in the preferred embodiment, also provides a thirdhook and loop fastener DD, with a first portion DD1 thereof attached tothe inner surface 33 of strap 30 at a position proximate and belowsecond end 32, and a second portion DD2 attached to the brace 20 on theoutstep or lateral side of leg 41. Strap 30 also has an outer surface34. A loop feature 35 is provided at second end 32 to facilitategripping second end 32 as shown in FIG. 5. In practice, as alternativesto hook and loop fastener DD, second end 32 of strap 30 may be attachedto brace 20, by straps, laces, elastic wrap, tape or other similar orlike Means. Second end 32 of strap 30 may also be attached directly tothe user's leg 41 by means of adhesive cape or elastic wrap, above brace20, or if strap 30 is used with a shoe 10, but without a brace 20.

In the featured embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4,5, 6 and 7, when theshoe 10 also incorporates an insole 14, strap 30 extends between medialside 16 and lateral side 17 above the upper surface 15 of sole 13 andbelow the insole 14. (As noted previously, the term instep and medialare utilized interchangeably as are the terms outstep and lateral.)

In practice, strap 30 will be attached at points B and C within the shoe10. A brace 20, whether a commercial motion limiting ankle brace, tape,or other limiting device will be secured around a user's foot, ankle andlower leg. The foot 40 with brace 30 secured will then be placed withinthe corresponding shoe 10, so that the strap 30 at point Bis proximateto and contacting the instep or medial side of foot 40, with insole 14between the bottom of foot 40 and sole 13 and point C proximate to andcontacting the lateral or outstep side of foot 40. The laces 18, orother securing means of shoe 10, are secured and strap 30 snugly andsecurely conforms to the outline of user's foot 40 from point B to pointC, with second end 32 extending upwardly above the user's ankle andabove upper 11 of shoe 10. Second end 32 is gripped by loop 35, or othermeans, and strap 30 is pulled taut in direction E as demonstrated inFIG. 5. In such taut position, strap 30 is affixed to brace 20 by hookand loop fastener DD. In order to facilitate and maximize the tautnessof strap 30 when affixed to brace 20, the user may incline or evert thelower leg 41 corresponding to the enclosed foot 40 in direction F beforeengaging fastener DD, or equivalent fastening means. Strap 30 mayalternatively be pulled taut before the laces 18, or other securingmeans are secured.

It is a further feature of the invention that, when a shoe 10 and brace20 are provided or otherwise available, that strap 30 may be provided asa separate kit, further consisting of fasteners BB, CC and DD withportions BB2, CC2 and DD2 being separately attachable to shoe 10 andbrace 20 so that strap 30 may be removably and separately utilized withany number of different shoes and/or ankle braces.

It is further noted that, with regard to hook and loop fasteners, asshown in the featured embodiment, BB, CC and DD, the “hook” and “loop”portions thereof are interchangeable between DD1, DD2; CC1 and CC2; andBB1 and BB2. It is further noted that, as in this feature of theembodiment, when the strap attachment is offered as a kit forutilization with existing shoe(s) and brace(s), that the portions ofhook and loop fasteners to be attached within the individual shoes, orto the individual brace; may be a self-adhering element, from which acover strip 19 may be removed, as shown in FIG. 1, for immediateaffixation. In such case, as shown in FIG. 1, the portions of BB2 andCC2 have an adhesive means attached.

Having described my invention, other and additional preferredembodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichit, pertains and without deviating from the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A strap device for combining a shoe, having a sole, and an upperattached thereto, said upper further comprising an interior havingmedial and lateral walls, with an ankle brace device, to create an ankleinversion prevention system. Said, said strap device further comprising:a unitary strap element of defined length having a first end and asecond end; the first end of said strap element being removablyaffixable at a first point on the medial interior wall of said shoe'supper and at a second point on the lateral interior wall of said upper;said strap element extending from its first end downwardly proximatesaid medial interior wall, across the sole of said shoe and upwardlyproximate said lateral interior wall to said second point and so as tobe sandwiched between the wearers foot and the shoe upper, said strapelement further extending, beyond said second point, to its second end,above said upper; and the portion of said strap element extending abovesaid shoe's upper being removably affixable to the ankle brace device.2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising hook and loop fastenersfor releasably securing said strap to the shoe upper and ankle brace. 3.(canceled)
 4. The invention of claim 2, the ankle brace device isfurther including an elastic wrap which is adapted to being releasablyengaged by a hook and loop fastener portion secured to said second endof said strap element.
 5. An ankle inversion prevention device to beattached to a shoe, said shoe having a sole, and an upper attachedthereto, with said upper further comprising an interior having medialand lateral walls, said device further comprising: a unitary flexiblestrap element of defined length having a first end and a second end;said strap element being affixable to at least one position within theupper of said shoe so as to be sandwiched between the wearers foot andthe shoe upper, said strap element extends above the upper of the shoe,proximate the lateral side of the user's ankle; a first means ofaffixing said unitary strap element to proximate its first end andwithin the upper of said shoe; a second means of attaching said unitarystrap element proximate its second end at a position on the lateral sideof the user's lower leg separately from and above the upper of saidshoe.
 6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the first means of attachingthe first end of said strap within the shoe upper is a hook and loopfastener.
 7. The invention of claim 5, wherein the second means ofattaching the second end of said strap to the user's leg is adhesivetape.
 8. The invention of claim 5, wherein the second means of attachingthe second end of said strap to the user's leg is an elastic wrap.
 9. Adevice for use with a wearers shoe and ankle brace for limiting activeankle inversion, the shoe having a sole with an upper, an interior ofwhich including medial and lateral walls and an interconnecting insolesupporting surface, the ankle brace being secured about the wearers footand extending above the ankle joint, said device comprising: anelongated and flexible strap having a first end and a second end; saidfirst end being removably affixable at a first point on the medialinterior wall of the shoe upper and extending in a generally three sidedconfiguration downwardly along the medial wall, horizontally across theinsole supporting surface, and upwardly along the lateral interior wallto a second point on the upper to which the strap is removablyaffixable; and said strap element extending upwardly from the lateralinterior wall above the shoe and releasably engaging the ankle brace atan elevated lateral side location of the wearers leg.
 10. The inventionof claim 9, further comprising respective pairs of hook and loopportions for releasably securing said strap to the shoe upper and anklebrace.
 11. The invention of claim 9, said elongated strap terminating ina looped portion at said second end.
 12. The invention of claim 10, saidstrap further comprising a unitary and non-extendable constructionexhibiting a cross sectional flat configuration upon which individualhook and loop fastener portions are secured.